Packaging For An Item And Packaged Item

ABSTRACT

A packaging for an item includes: a three-dimensionally shaped packaging base made from a leaf material of a plant; a base bearing surface, which is formed on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base and configured to accommodate an item to be packaged; a base rim, which, as part of the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base, surrounds the base bearing surface and forms a corner region between the base bearing surface and a rim section of the base rim, which is proximal with respect to the base bearing surface; and a packaging lid made from a recyclable material, which is provided as a folded lid and in which lateral folding elements are moulded onto a lid element in one piece and are arranged in a folded position to form an accommodating space in the packaging lid

The invention relates to a packaging for an item, particularly a food,and a packaged item.

BACKGROUND

Packagings are used for example in order to package items for sale anddistribution. The same is for example also known for the packaging offoods, which are thereby packaged for the user, for example fortransport from the point of sale to the point of consumption.

It has been suggested to produce packagings or packaging containers froma plant container material. Palm leaves are for example used herein asplant container material. This is described for example in the documentsDE 20 2017 006 954 U1 and U.S. Pat. No. 10,004,345 B1. Furthermore, ithas been suggested to produce disposable tableware or trays from palmleaves (cf. EP 1 438 914 A1, DE 20 2015 105 015 U1).

Also, a packaging made from a palm leaf material is disclosed in thedocument DE 39 27 062 C2. In an embodiment, a packaging tray isproduced, in which a container opening is closed by means of a plasticfilm to package the item. The plastic film is laid around a peripheralcontainer rim in such a manner that the film is arranged both on theupper rim and also on the underside of the container rim. The plasticfilm thus laid around the container rim should adhere by means ofadhesion. To configure the packaging container, it may be provided toprint on the same. In this context, it is suggested to grind the blankmaterial for the container prior to the pressing or the cutting to sizeand to print on the same in a desired manner, for example with a label.For optical reasons, the lower outer side of the container can also beground smooth, so that labelling of the container is also enabled on thesame by means of printing. It may additionally be provided to apply tothe entire outer side of the container a protective layer before orafter the application of the label.

SUMMARY

It is the object of the invention to specify a packaging for an item anda packaged item, using which the packaging can be adapted to differentitems in a flexible manner and at the same time supports the safetransport of the packaged item.

To achieve this, a packaging for an item and a packaged item accordingto the independent claims 1 and 14 are created. Embodiments are thesubject-matter of dependent claims.

According to one aspect, a packaging for an item is provided,comprising: a three-dimensionally shaped packaging base made from a leafmaterial of a plant; a container bearing surface formed on thethree-dimensionally shaped packaging base and configured to accommodatean item to be packaged; a container rim, which, as part of thethree-dimensionally shaped packaging base, surrounds the containerbearing surface and forms a corner region between the container bearingsurface and a rim section of the container rim, which is proximal withrespect to the container bearing surface; and a packaging lid made froma recyclable material, which is formed as a folded lid and in whichlateral folding elements are moulded onto a lid element in one piece andare arranged in a folded position to form an accommodating space in thepackaging lid; wherein the packaging lid is arranged on the containerbearing surface such that the accommodating space opens towards thecontainer bearing surface and distal rim sections of the lateral foldingelements, which distal rim sections are distal with respect to the lidelement, each come to bear in the corner region, such that the packaginglid is fixed on the container bearing surface in its relative positionthereto.

According to a further aspect, a packaged item is provided, whichcomprises an item in the form of a food and a packaging of thepreviously mentioned type, wherein the item is packaged by means of thepackaging such that the item is arranged in the region of the containerbearing surface, which is formed on the three-dimensionally shapedpackaging base, and is covered by means of the packaging lid.

A sustainable packaging for any desired items, particularly food, isprovided using the proposed technology, which packaging consists atleast to some extent of renewable plant materials. The packaging lid isadapted to the three-dimensional shaping of the packaging base by meansof folding of the folded lid in such a manner that the folded lid, thelateral folding elements of which come to bear in the corner regions ofthe packaging base, is fixed on the container bearing surface.Inadvertent slipping of the packaging lid on the packaging base isefficiently prevented.

The packaging lid can thereby be arranged in a completely adhesion-freemanner on the packaging base, that is to say free from any adheringconnections between the packaging base and packaging lid.

The container bearing surface can be constructed as an essentiallyplanar bearing surface, along the edges of which the corner region isformed.

The three-dimensionally shaped packaging base can for example be a plateor a tray made from the leaf material of the plant. In one embodiment, asurface-side coating can be provided on the packaging base, particularlyin the region of the top surface or only in the region of the containerbearing surface. A coating made from a plastic material may be provided,which optionally is biodegradable.

A sleeve is made from a recyclable material and configured to secure thepackaging lid to the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base.Packaging bases and packaging lids can additionally be secured in theirrelative position to one another with the aid of the sleeve. In thevarious embodiments, the sleeve can for example consist of a paper orpaperboard material. A design made from plant fibres may also beprovided.

The sleeve may substantially completely surround the three-dimensionallyshaped packaging base with the packaging lid arranged on the same. Thesleeve, as a full perimeter sleeve, may be pushed onto the arrangementwith packaging base and packaging lid arranged thereon, so that it caneasily be pulled off again by the user if the user would like to accessthe packaged item.

The sleeve can bear in an adhesion-free manner, i.e. without adhesion,on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base and the packaging lid.Herein, adhesion-free in particular means that the sleeve does notadhere by means of an adhesive or bonding agent on the packaging baseand the packaging lid. The use of an adhesive may for example beprovided in embodiments in which the sleeve does not completely surroundthe arrangement with packaging base and packaging lid (closed sleeve),but rather ends of the sleeve adhere for example on the underside of thepackaging base and the sleeve surrounds both sides starting from thepackaging lid.

The corner region may be formed peripherally continuously around thecontainer bearing surface between the container bearing surface and theproximal rim section of the container rim. Alternatively, the design ofthe corner region may be interrupted in one or more subsections alongthe peripheral container rim, for example owing to a local recess.

The distal rim sections of the lateral folding elements may come to bearin the corner region peripherally continuously around the containerbearing surface. In this embodiment, the lateral folding elements extendperipherally around the container bearing surface as far as into thecorner region and thus peripherally close the accommodating space insidethe folded lid.

Connecting elements may be arranged between lateral folding elementsassigned to one another and arranged adjacently to one another along aperiphery of the lid element, wherein the connecting elements stiffenthe folded lid and are each moulded in one piece onto the lateralfolding elements that are assigned to one another. The connectingelements constructed between adjacent lateral folding elements may befolded inwards towards the accommodating space during the folding of thelateral folding elements into the folded position to form the foldedlid. In particular, corner regions between adjacent folding elements canadditionally be stiffened with the aid of the connecting elements, whichsupports the mechanical stability of the folded lid forming thepackaging lid.

The accommodating space may be a closed space when the packaging lid isarranged on the container bearing surface. In this embodiment, the itemto be packaged is arranged and packaged on the container bearing surfacein a closed accommodating space.

The packaging lid may have a viewing window, through which it ispossible to see into the accommodating space from the outside. Theviewing window may be an open or a closed viewing window. To close theviewing window, a transparent plastic material may for example beapplied to the packaging lid in the region of the viewing window, forexample by means of adhesive bonding.

The viewing window may be arranged in the region of the lid element.Alternatively or additionally, a viewing window may be provided in theregion of one or more lateral folding elements.

A plurality of container part bearing surfaces may be formed on thethree-dimensionally shaped packaging base, which container part bearingsurfaces are separated from one another on the three-dimensionallyshaped packaging base by means of a separating device; and the packaginglid may be formed in multiple parts with a plurality of separatepackaging part lids, which are each assigned to a different one of theplurality of container part bearing surfaces. This embodiment makes itpossible for a plurality of items to be packaged separately by means ofthe one packaging, for example foods of a meal that are to be separatedfrom one another. On the one hand, a plurality of container part bearingsurfaces are constructed on the common packaging base, which areseparated from one another by means of the separating device. On theother hand, the packaging lid comprises a plurality of separatepackaging part lids, which can each be provided in accordance with thepreviously explained design variants. The respective lid then comes tobear in the peripheral corner region of the assigned container partbearing surface and is thus used for packaging an item arranged thereon.The container part bearing surfaces and/or the packaging part lids caneach be provided to be of the same size. Alternatively, different sizesmay be provided for the container part bearing surfaces and/or for thepackaging part lids, which make it possible to respectively packageitems of different size in the packaging on the commonthree-dimensionally shaped packaging base.

The separating device may have a separating web, fillet or partitionwall, using which the corner region is formed along the separating web,fillet or partition wall. The separating web, fillet or partition wallbetween container bearing surfaces may be constructed in a continuous orinterrupted manner between the same. The separating web, fillet orpartition wall can be shaped from the leaf material of the packagingbase. Alternatively, a separating web, fillet or partition wall can beproduced by means of material deposition on the leaf material.

The sleeve may be formed according to a sleeve design selected from thefollowing group: common sleeve for the plurality of separate packagingpart lids, and a plurality of separate sleeves which are each assignedto a different one of the plurality of packaging part lids. In the caseof the plurality of packaging part lids, the same can be secured on thethree-dimensionally shaped packaging base with the aid of the commonsleeve. Alternatively, a plurality of separate sleeves may be used.

The base rim can have a first securing element and/or at least one ofthe lateral folding elements can have a second securing element. Thefirst securing element and the second securing element can be configuredto act together to secure the packaging lid on the three-dimensionallyshaped packaging base.

The base rim can also have a plurality of first securing elements,particularly two, three or four first securing elements. It may beprovided that (in each case) two of the first securing elements arearranged on opposite sections of the base rim.

A plurality of second securing elements can be provided on the lateralfolding elements. In particular, two, three or four of the lateralfolding elements can in each case have a second securing element (or aplurality of second securing elements).

Alternatively, at least one of the lateral folding elements can alsohave at least one first securing element and the base rim can have atleast one second securing element.

The first (or second) securing element can be arranged at (essentially)half of the height of the base rim. The first (or second) securingelement can be arranged in an upper or a lower half of the base rim.

The first securing element can be formed as a recess (particularly ahole, preferably in the base rim) and the second securing element can beformed as a projection. The projection can preferably be configured tobe accommodated in the recess.

The recess can be formed to penetrate the base rim completely.Alternatively, the recess can be formed as a depression, which faces theaccommodating space, in the base rim.

The recess can be formed to be planar or curved. In particular, therecess can be formed to be slot-shaped, particularly as a linear slot.The recess can however also be formed in a V-shaped or U-shaped manner.

The second securing element can be arranged on a distal folding element(for example a (paper) flap), which is formed in one piece on the atleast one of the lateral folding elements. The distal folding elementcan be formed by folding at the distal rim section of the lateralfolding element. The second securing element, in particular theprojection, can be formed so as to lie in one plane with the distalfolding element.

The embodiments previously explained in connection with the packagingcan correspondingly be provided in connection with the packaged item.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Further exemplary embodiments are explained in the following withreference to figures of a drawing. In the figures:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration for producing a packaging for anitem;

FIG. 2 shows a further schematic illustration for producing thepackaging for an item from FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 shows schematic perspective illustrations of packagings, in whichthe packaging lid and packaging base are secured by means of a sleeve;

FIG. 4 shows schematic perspective illustrations of packagings withsleeve, wherein a viewing window is provided in the packaging lid;

FIG. 5 shows schematic perspective illustrations of packagings withoutsleeve;

FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of packaging with a plurality ofpackaging part lids, which are secured to a common packaging base bymeans of a sleeve; and

FIG. 7 shows schematic illustrations of packaging lids in the non-foldedstate.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic perspective illustration of a packaging basehaving a first securing element and a packaging lid having a secondsecuring element;

FIG. 9 shows a schematic illustration for producing the packaging for anitem by means of additional securing elements;

FIG. 10 shows a schematic illustration of an arrangement of packaginglid and packaging base including securing elements in differentperspectives;

FIG. 11 shows schematic illustrations of packaging including securingelements, wherein packaging base and packaging lid have a round,triangular, square or rectangular base; and

FIG. 12 shows schematic illustrations of packaging including securingelements, wherein viewing windows are additionally provided.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective illustration of athree-dimensionally shaped packaging base 1, which consists of a leafmaterial of a plant.

The packaging base 1 forms a receptacle for an item (not illustrated) inthe region of a base accommodating or base bearing surface 2, forexample for accommodating a food. The base bearing surface 2 issurrounded by a base rim 3, which extends diagonally upwards startingfrom the base bearing surface 2 in the illustrated embodiment. A cornerregion 5 is formed peripherally between the base bearing surface 2 and aproximal rim section 4 of the base rim 3 with respect to the basebearing surface 2.

A packaging lid 6 is assigned to the packaging base 1 to form apackaging, which packaging lid is folded according to FIG. 1 by means oflateral folding of folding elements 7, which are arranged along aperipheral edge 8 of a lid element 9, to form a folded lid 10, which isshown in FIG. 2 . By means of the folding of the lateral foldingelements 7 along the edge 8, which can be provided with folding lines,an accommodating space 11 is created in the interior of the folded lid10, which opens towards the base bearing surface 2, when the folded lid10, as shown in FIG. 2 , is arranged on the packaging base 1, in such amanner that distal rim sections 12 of the lateral folding elements 7come to bear in the corner region 5, so that the packaging lid 6 isfixed in its relative position with respect to the base bearing surface2. The packaging lid 6 can then no longer slip to the side on the basebearing surface 2. For additional securing of the arrangement withpackaging base 1 and packaging lid 6, a sleeve 13 is provided in FIG. 2, which surrounds the packaging base 1 and packaging lid 6 arrangedthereon.

According to FIG. 1 , connecting elements 14 are provided betweenadjacent lateral folding elements 7, which are moulded onto the adjacentlateral folding elements in one piece and fold inwards during folding,so that they are no longer visible in the folded lid 10 (cf. FIG. 2 ).The connecting elements 14 support stiffness and thus the mechanicalstability of the packaging lid 6.

in the various embodiments, the connecting elements 14 can have anadhesive on the surface at least in certain regions, for example a glue,so that at least the adjacent connecting elements 14 can be formed toadhere to one another when they come to rest against one another.

The packaging lid 6 and/or sleeve 13 are made from a recyclablematerial, for example paper or paperboard.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show further embodiments for the packaging with packagingbase 1 and packaging lid 6 and sleeve 13, wherein in the embodiments inFIG. 4 , a viewing window 15 is formed in the region of the lid element9 by means of an opening in the lid element 9, which viewing window canbe open or closed, wherein a closed window may for example be coveredwith the aid of a transparent (recyclable) plastic material.

FIG. 5 shows packagings without additional securing by means of thesleeve 13, wherein the packaging base 1 and packaging lid 6 have a roundor triangular base.

FIG. 6 shows schematic perspective illustrations of differentpackagings, in which base bearing part surfaces 2 a, 2 b are formed onthe three-dimensionally shaped packaging base 1, which are separatedfrom one another with the aid of a separating web 16 which may also beregarded as a fillet or partition wall. Packaging part lids 6 a, 6 b areassigned to the container accommodating part surfaces 2 a, 2 b andarranged thereon in such a manner that the distal rim section 10 comesto bear in the corner region 5.

FIG. 7 shows further embodiments for the packaging lid 6 with lateralfolding elements 7 in the non-folded state.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic perspective illustration of a packaging base 1having first securing elements 17 and a packaging lid 6 having secondsecuring elements 18. The first securing elements 17 are formed asrecesses 19 in the base rim 3 and the second securing elements 18 areformed as projections 20, which are configured to respectively engage inthe recesses 19 and/or to be accommodated in the recesses 19.

The projections 20 are respectively arranged on distal folding elements21, which are respectively formed in one piece or integrally on one ofthe lateral folding elements 7. The distal folding elements 21 can beformed by folding at the distal rim section 12 of the respective lateralfolding element 7. The projections 20 respectively extend at distal endsof the distal folding elements 21.

FIG. 9 shows a schematic illustration for producing the packaging for anitem by means of additional securing elements 17, 18. The foldedpackaging lid 6 is placed onto the packaging base 1 in such a mannerthat the projections 20 engage into the recesses 19 and the packaginglid 6 is secured on the packaging base 1 in this manner,

FIG. 10 shows a schematic illustration of an arrangement of packaginglid 6 and packaging base 1 including securing elements 17, 18 indifferent perspectives,

FIG. 11 shows packaging including securing elements 17, 18, whereinpackaging base 1 and packaging lid 6 have a round, triangular, square orrectangular base and/or a plurality of base part bearingsurfaces/container accommodating part surfaces 2 a, 2 b.

FIG. 12 shows packaging including securing elements 17, 18, whereinviewing windows 15 are additionally provided.

The features disclosed in the above description, the claims, and thedrawing can be of significance both individually and in any combinationfor the implementation of the different embodiments.

1. A packaging for an item, comprising a three-dimensionally shapedpackaging base made from a leaf material of a plant; a base bearingsurface formed on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base andconfigured to accommodate an item to be packaged; a base rim, which, aspart of the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base, surrounds thebase bearing surface and forms a corner region between the base bearingsurface and a rim section of the base rim which is proximal with respectto the base bearing surface; and a packaging lid made from a recyclablematerial, which is formed as a folded lid and in which lateral foldingelements are moulded onto a lid element in one piece and are arranged ina folded position to form an accommodating space in the packaging lid;wherein the packaging lid is arranged on the base bearing surface suchthat the accommodating space opens towards the container bearing surfaceand distal rim sections of the lateral folding elements, being distalwith respect to the lid element, each come to bear in the corner region,such that the packaging lid is fixed on the container bearing surface inits relative position thereto.
 2. The packaging according to claim 1,comprising a sleeve made from a recyclable material and configured tosecure the packaging lid to the three-dimensionally shaped packagingbase.
 3. The packaging according to claim 2, wherein the sleeve isprovided according to at least one of the following embodiments: thesleeve substantially completely surrounds the three-dimensionally shapedpackaging base with the packaging lid arranged on the same and thesleeve bears on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base and thepackaging lid without adhesion.
 4. The packaging according to claim 1,wherein the corner region is formed peripherally continuously around thebase bearing surface between the base bearing surface and the proximalrim section of the base rim.
 5. The packaging according to claim 4,wherein the distal rim sections of the lateral folding elements come tobear in the corner region peripherally continuously around the basebearing surface.
 6. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein, betweenfolding elements that are assigned to one another and which are arrangedadjacently to one another along a periphery of the lid element,connecting elements are arranged, which stiffen the folded lid and areeach moulded in one piece onto the folding elements that are assigned toone another.
 7. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein theaccommodating space is a closed space when the packaging lid is arrangedon the base bearing surface.
 8. The packaging according to claim 1,wherein the packaging lid has a viewing window, through which it ispossible to see into the accommodating space from the outside and whichis preferably arranged in the region of the lid element.
 9. Thepackaging according to claim 1, wherein the base rim has a firstsecuring element and at least one of the lateral folding elements has asecond securing element, wherein the first securing element and thesecond securing element are configured to act together to secure thepackaging lid on the three-dimensionally shaped packaging base.
 10. Thepackaging according to claim 9, wherein the first securing element isformed as a recess in the base rim (3) and the second securing elementis formed as a projection, which is configured to be accommodated in therecess.
 11. The packaging according to claim 9, wherein the secondsecuring element is arranged on a distal folding element, which isformed integrally on the at least one of the lateral folding elements.12. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of base partbearing surfaces are formed on the three-dimensionally shaped packagingbase the base part bearing surfaces being separated from one another onthe three-dimensionally shaped packaging base by means of a separatingdevice; and the packaging lid is formed in multiple parts with aplurality of separate packaging part lids , which are each assigned to adifferent one of the plurality of base part bearing surfaces.
 13. Thepackaging according to claim 12, wherein the separating device has aseparating web, using which, along the separating web, the corner regionis formed.
 14. The packaging according to claim 12, wherein the sleeveis formed corresponding to a sleeve design from the following group:common sleeve for the plurality of separate packaging part lids, and aplurality of separate sleeves, which are each assigned to a differentone of the plurality of packaging part lids.
 15. A packaged item,comprising an item, which is a food; and a packaging according to claim1, wherein the item is packaged by means of the packaging in such amanner that the item is arranged in the region of the base bearingsurface, which is formed on the three-dimensionally shaped packagingbase, and is covered by means of the packaging lid.